Cancer - Cervix

The Cervix The cervix is at the lower part of the uterus (womb), which protrudes into the vagina. The cervix is sometimes called the neck of the womb. There is a small opening in the cervix, the cervical canal, which leads through the cervix into the main part of the uterus. The cervix has several important functions. It produces some of the moistness that helps lubricate the vagina. It also produces the mucus that helps sperm travel up to the Fallopian tubes in an effort to fertilise an egg from the ovary. The cervix holds the developing baby in the uterus during a pregnancy. During labour the cervix opens to allow the baby to be born. The cervix is covered by two different kinds of cells . Squamous cells cover the outer part. Endocervical cells cover the inner part. Cervical cancer There are two main types of cervical cancer. These are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma, the most common type of cervical cancer, starts in the squamous or skin-like cells of the cervix. Adenocarcinoma is a less common type of cervical cancer. It starts in the glandular cells. In addition cervical cancer may be either microinvasive or invasive. Microinvasive cervical cancer This is when cancer cells have just broken through the bottom layer of the skin of the cervix. At this stage, the cells have not spread more than five millimetres into the tissues of the cervix. Invasive cervical cancer In this, the cancer cells have spread from the surface skin of the cervix into the deeper tissues of the cervix. The cancer may also have spread to part of the vagina or to the lymph nodes and other tissues surrounding the cervix, within the pelvis, or beyond the genital and pelvic areas into nearby organs.